Henny Hughes will skip Dubai Carnival opener

Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) runner-up HENNY HUGHES (Hennessy) will not make

his sophomore debut in Thursday's Shadwell Farm Trophy S. at Nad al Sheba. The

Darley-owned colt was among the preliminary entries to the about seven-furlong

dirt event on the opening day of the Dubai Carnival, but he was pulled from

Tuesday's final declarations.

Godolphin has a pair of Saeed bin Suroor-trained colts in the main body of

the 19-horse field (three also-eligibles), TESTIMONY (Yes It's True) and

EMIRATES GOLD (Royal Applause [GB]). The former was a sharp 7 1/2-length

maiden winner at Belmont Park before recording an unplaced finish in his final

juvenile appearance, the Iroquois S. (G3) at Churchill Downs. The latter is

English stakes-placed.

Thursday's feature is Round 1 of the Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Challenge (UAE-G3), which will be contested at about one mile on the main track

for a purse of $200,000. Ten are set for the event, but multiple Group 1 winner

and defending champion GRAND EMPORIUM (SAf) (National Assembly), who was

pre-entered by Sheikh Rashid, was withdrawn from the final field. LUNDY'S

LIABILITY (Brz) (Candy Stripes) and PETIT PARIS (Chi) (Hussonet), the one-two

finishers in the 2004 UAE Derby (UAE-G2), will renew their rivalry in the race.